Live Blue Crab Question

by Lynn
(Coral Springs, FL USA)

A friend gave me some live blue crabs last night. I stored them in my fridge in a bag with holes in it. I understand they will lie dormant til they come back to room temp but I've had them out of the fridge for over an hour now and no movement. Did keeping them in the fridge overnight and all day actually kill them?

Unfortunately, yes it most likely did. Always try to get them boiled up ASAP and then store them in freezer or fridge if you're gonna eat them the next day. The other alternative to clean them while they're live and store just the legs (freezer) until you are ready to cook them.

Empty Crab Legs

Every once in a while I encounter an 'empty' crab leg while eating at a local buffet. Just curious, but I just dont understand where the meat goes! This often occurs with legs that are whole and intact - so its not a matter of the meat falling out of a broken leg.

Most likely the crab was caught during the final stages of a molting cycle. During this time when they shed their old shells and grow new ones, the meat in the legs have not fully "filled-up" the shell. This is one reason we throw back soft-shelled Dungeness.....

Ammonia Tasting Crabs

I purchased live crabs and cooked them within one hour. When they were cooked they tasted like ammonia. Why?

Crabs that smell of taste like ammonia are the result of being older crabs. We're honestly not sure why this is, but that it just can be when dealing with older crabs.
In our own experience with catching and dealing with Dungeness Crab we have come across those ammonia tasting and smelling crabs and found that we just get used to them! It's not "real ammonia" you are dealing with, but just the smells and tastes of. The best way to tow it down is to deal with them in the boiling process. We use Louisiana Crab Boil and add minced onion and other herbs as well as the Sea Salts to aide in over riding the smells and flavors of ammonia. This boiling process seems to work fine for us so when we do come across a nice 7-8 inch catch it's pure "JOY!" all the way to our plates! Hope this helps!

Newbe Crabee

I caught crabs brought them home washed them off put them in a baggie and frozen them in the freezer, is this ok? can i now boil and eat?

grandpa/jake

These are NOT okay. Crab must either be "live cleaned" then frozen or (my preference) cooked firstand then frozen whether cleaned or not.

Safe to eat crab?

by Michelle
(California)

I have some "bodies" that I cooked last Saturday that have been in a very cold refrigerator, safe to make crab cakes? They smell ok...

We wouldn't recommend eating crab after being in the frig. for over 3-5 days. However, since they "smell ok" it's really your call! If you use them to make crab cakes, be cautious via eyes and nose. At any first sign of spoiling, we highly recommend you stop and throw them all out. However, if you are picking through the meat and all looks and smells crabby-fresh and the meat is still very cold, then, don't waste anymore time...enjoy those crab cakes!
Find some really good crab cakes and dips on Crab-O-Licious.com! Thanks for visiting!

Brown Creamy Part of the Crab Edible?

by Diana
(London)

Is the brown creamy part of the crab edible? Recently in Australia, my friend purchased 12 crabs and insisted on washing away all the brown creamy part, as she said it was waste product. I thought this was what we termed "brown meat", but they would have none of it.

Hello, Diana! We really can't figure out what you refer to as "brown creamy part."
What kind of crab are you referring to? And, is this brown creamy stuff appearring after it's been boiled or before?
The only thing we can think of concerning "brown creamy waste" would be is after boiling before cleaning the crab...at the top (thigh meat area) of the crab leg, there's sometimes brownish residue from the inedible contents. It can be rinsed under cool running water, yes, but don't rinse away the meat in that thigh area. You are correct to go ahead and eat that! If this is the case, in a way, you are both correct.

Discolored blue crab meat

by Anthony
(Florida )

I caught 20 or so blue crab last night. I immediately cooked them when I got home. I then refrigerated the crabs after cooking but prior to cleaning. Early this morning I woke up to clean them and some of the edges of the meat in the body has almost like a blue tint. Are these still safe to eat?

I would have to say....Absolutely! During the cooking process, it is normal for a bit of discoloration to occur around the edges and top of the knuckle area of your crab legs. In our case, with Dungeness crab, we find a greenish tint to some of the legs after cooking. The only way I know of to avoid this is to clean your crab "live" first before cooking.Enjoy!

Crabs with puncture holes?

by Wanda
(Aberdeen, MD)

I brought steams crabs but they had puncture holes underneath, what is that from and are they any good?

In our experience, we have have found similar holes in Dungeness crab, Snow crab and King crab as well. We like to think of these as "war wounds" or, in other words, just the result of interacting with other crabs in their day-to-day crab life. (They are,after all, an aggressive species ) These holes should have no impact on the quality of crab and they should be absolutely good for consumption. Enjoy!

Crabs

by Anne
(NC)

I cooked some crabs. Could not eat all of them and them the rest in the refrigerator. How long will they last and how do I know if they are still okay to eat?

I don't recommend pushing it past 2 days if they're in a sealed container of some kind. Always best to freeze them in order to be assured of another great crab dinner later! ENJOY!

Crabs and Food Poisoning

by Kim S
(Kent ,WA)

I have caught some dungeness crab and a friend cleaned them and then froze them in my freezer without cooking them. I have 2 other friends that say it will be dangerous to eat them now because they HAVE to be cooked right away or I could get food poisoning!!!!Is this true???

If you cleaned the crabs before the crab legs were frozen, then packaged them properly for freezing, then...No. You should be able to thaw them out a bit and go ahead and boil them up and enjoy with no scare of food poisoning.
Food poisoning from crabs come from letting them die before cooking them or cleaning them. When crabs are kept alive they are able to ward off any bacteria or poisonings that would threaten to permeate their bodies. When they are dead, any bacterias and poisonings have no fight against them and can freely permeate the crab meat.
Since you cleaned the crabs first, then froze them and packaged them properly (freezer bags and vacuumed packed or the like) then you can steam up your great crab catch and enjoy them without doubt!

Ammonia smelling crabs

If crabs smell like ammonia and the meat is not as white, but a darker color and slimy, does that mean they are going bad, or were just undercooked?

If they have bad odor AND are slimy.....I wouldn't eat them.....Always be sure to fully cook your crab (boil a good solid 15 - 20 minutes) and properly store your leftovers for later enjoyment!

Smelly Blue Swimmers

by Trent Hearl
(Adelaide Australia)

I left my blue swimmers in a bucket yesterday and cooked them this morning. Little bit smelly but dont know if its worth the risk eating them?

Not sure whether your blue swimmers are good or not. Are they still active? If so, I would say they are! As for the "smell" it's hard to say as we're not sure what it is you are smelling? Sour? Crabby? Or something different? Again, if they are still active, sure, clean them and cook them up! If they are dead I wouldn't think twice to throw the crabs away. If they are dead and have been overnight, they are no good for eating.

OK to Eat Crabs?

by Alice
(NC)

Caught the crabs late last night, put them in refrigerator. Took them out about lunch time to steam and they did not move. Waited a long while and they still did not move. I have steamed them, but am not sure whether to pick them out or not. Please advise.

Alice, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I wouldn't eat those crabs. It's important to take immediate care of the crabs after catching them to assure safe consumption.
The crabs should have been cleaned first, then, you could have put them into the refrigerator to steam the next day. Without cleaning them first any toxins the crabs could have been carrying have had plenty of time in the refrierator to permeate the meat. So, steaming them the next day is way too late. For your safety, I would suggest calling them a loss and tossing them out.

Eating a 3 week old crab

by Angelo
(Los Angeles, CA)

Is it ok to eat a 3 week old crab that has been stored the fridge, not the freezer? The crab seems to be ok and ate it with vinegar. I'm hoping it is still ok since I have another crab waiting.

Seeming to be ok, may not be ok as it's hard to detect with the bare eye the threat of food poisoning. 3 weeks is a long time to have a crab sitting in the fridge waiting to eat, Angelo. Personally, we wouldn't bother with it, but it's your call. If it's good, you'll be full and fine. If it's not good, head to the toilet and/or consult your local doctor!

Brown Crab Meat

by Nic
(UK)

I have a pound of brown crab meat what can I do with it?


First of all, I'm not sure how many you are feeding and what kind of dishes you prefer, but I would suggest using your brown crab meat in a soup, casserole or crab cakes. Whatever you desire! Enjoy!

White Stuff in Crab

What's the white stuff coming out of the crab? Help!

I am going to assume that you mean the white stuff that is usually found in around the shell area AFTER cooking them. If so... I have NO idea exactly what it is. Perhaps fatty material. It is not "visceral mass" nor do I think it is "crab butter" due to its non-butter color. I CAN tell you this; it IS normal! and sometimes smells oh,so good! (not always though) I wouldn't worry about it (again I say this is normal) BUT I personally wouldn't try to eat it either. Smells good at times but not sure it is good for eating! Just rinse it away while cleaning your crab and ENJOY! the REAL reason you got the crab in the first place.... the MEAT! Hope this helps! ENJOY!

Cooked Crab and Food Poisoning

by Lindsey
(San Francisco)

Can you get food poisoning from cooked crab? We made a crab starter with cooked crab, lime juice and celery for Thanksgiving. We also served all of the usual, turkey, ham etc.......about half of the people there became sick within 24-48 hours, vomiting, diahrrea, and chills, etc............Help!


Oh my! That don't sound like a "Happy Thanksgiving"!? Without knowing the details of the food preparations and such, it's hard tell where the culprit came from. We can say that "if" the crab wasn't processed properly it surely can lead to food poisoning just as easy as any other kinds of foods.

Soft Shell Crabs

How long do soft shell crabs last after cleaning them?

If packaged and frozen right away, I would say up to 6 months in the freezer (or so)

King Crab Makes Me Violentlly Ill, Why?

Why does king crab make me violently ill, but snow crab does not?

First of all, we're not doctors here. Just people who love crab. With this said, I'm not sure why king crab would make you violently ill, but yet, you can eat snow crab??? That's mind-boggling to say the least.

Have you talked to your doctor about it? Could be that you have an allergic reaction, but, since I'm not a doctor, I truely and honestly can't say. I only have questions about it, kind of like a doctor would...

King crab making you violently ill...that's really got to suck! I have a friend who absolutely loves seafood, but she can only eat shellfish, including crab. But if she eats trout or salmon, watch out! She'll die, honestly. So with this all said...Please! Don't eat King Crab if it makes you violently ill!

If you get to a doctor and find out the reason, could you come back and let us know? Sure would appreciate it.

How Long is Crab Meat Good in Shell?

by Billi Barker
(St. Albans, Maine)

How long can you keep cooked crab in the shell?

If you refrigerate the crabs left in their shell, we only suggest a few days at the most. If you freeze the legs (shrink-wrap), they can keep for up to 6-8 months.

How to know fresh steamed crabs?

by Tora
(Frederick MD)

I purchased, what was supposed to be, fresh steamed crabs. While cleaning them I noticed that they were gray looking inside and that the mustard was not yellow or even green.

I need to know if the crabs are fresh.


Hi Tora! Honestly, I can't say if those crabs are fresh or not as I can't examine them myself. So, without seeing them, I pause about whether they really are. Why?
I have never seen a place or bought from anyone who claimed that "these crabs are steamed, yet, you have to clean them"...
Usually, when you purchase crabs, they are either 1- live crabs that still need to be boiled or 2-dead/boiled crabs on ice that still need to be cleaned...never ever advertised as "already steamed"...there is a HUGE difference in processes with different purposes.
With all this said, it's really your call.

eating king crab

Why can't you eat the body of a king crab?

Good question! One that,unfortunately, I don't have an answer to. I have never seen whole King Crab for sale nor lived where I could get it and so am not familiar with the body of a king. It would seem to me however that, like with other crab species, the eating part is the legs and "knuckle" parts above the legs and the body has nothing but "innards" which are not for eating.

Blue Steam Crabs

After you steam the blue crabs and you have left overs. Can you put them in the refigerator still in their shell and eat them the next day?

YES! Hate to let any of it go to waste. But ONLY if you are going to eat it the NEXT day! Otherwise, freeze it (whole or cleaned) and it will be good for quite some time..... ENJOY!

Salty crab legs

We bought crab legs at the store the other day. After steaming them, without adding salt, they were still extremely salty. What is the problem?

The culprit to the salty crab legs may be in how they were preserved before arriving to the store. Some processors will package crab legs in salty water. This does preserve the sweet crabby flavors, but also, it can make the crab meat too salty. We suggest if you buy from the same fish monger that you soak the legs in cold water for 5-10 minutes before putting them into a steamer and see if this helps to tone down the saltiness in your crab legs.
Make sure your crab legs are thawed completely, too, when you do steam them. If you put the crab legs frozen in the steamer they will take the added salt with them to the pot!
So...thaw them out, soak them for a few minutes in very cold water, then steam them to eliminate the extra saltiness in the crab legs.

Snow Crabs

by Bill
(MD)

Can you eat the whole body on Snow Crabs?

No, Snow Crabs bodies are not advised as "edible" like Blue Crab are in their soft shell state.

Crab Legs vs. Bodies

by Darlene
(USA)

Why do we eat only the legs of crabs and not the body?

There is nothing to eat in the body of a crab. No meat.

How long can I keep Snow Crab Legs refrigerated

How long can I keep snow crab legs refrigerated?

Did you just cook your crab legs and asking about leftovers? If so, treat them as you would normal leftovers, yet, keep in mind you are dealing with "seafood." If you are intending to eat them in a day or two or up to 4 or 5 days maximum, they should be fine to be stored in the refrigerator.
If you are referring to whole snow crabs that you just caught and wondering how long you can keep them in the refrigerator before cooking them or freezing them, then, you're way over due having them in the frig. On otherwards, never! But am I safe to assume you're not referring to live crabs so with this said and out of the way, please, do refer to the first reference of advice...3-5 days minimum for keeping snow crab legs in the refrigerator. Also! If you don't intend on consuming the snow crab legs within 3-5 days, you should consider freezing them. They will stay in the freezer much longer, for if you might want to have them next month!?! Either way, refrigerated snow crab legs or frozen for later...Enjoy them! Hope this helps! Thank you for visiting Crab-O-Licious.com!

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Can I eat these crabs?

I froze my crabs while they were alive and I want to know if I can still eat them?

Regrettably the answer is no you cannot eat these crab. The reason being is this: When crab die, they release toxins into their bodies that permeates throughout all of their meaty deliciousness making them unfit for human consumption! This is why we always stress a few basic "rules-of-thumb" to always follow!
1) Always take the time (20-30 minutes total) to cook your crab whole and then freeze them. You can always clean them later and reheat them for eating. Or.....
2) If you really don't have time to cook them; clean them live (again NOT for the squeamish) and freeze the raw crab legs for cooking later.
Either way is much better than losing your prized catch and the Enjoy!-ment it brings.

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Good crab, bad smell??

by Guinevere
(Georgia)

We purchased live crab last week and immediately cleaned and boiled them. We ate a few. But put the rest in the freezer with no particular way of storage other than plastic bags. Today we cooked them for father's day dinner and they smell awful. They smelled fishy the day we cooked them(after cooking them) but they have a really putrid smell today. My mother tasted it and she said they taste really good, but the smell gives us pause. Should we throw it out or eat it?

Well, if it were MY mom, if it's good enough for her it's good enough for me! Sometimes crabs can smell "crabby" a lot of it is due to their size. Older crabs, 7-8 inches, can put out an ammonia odor and leave you wondering, but it's normal for those older crabs. Even though you just had plastic baggies to wrap them and freeze them in I honestly can't imagine them being "bad" while the others were good eating. With all this said, it's totally up to you. If you don't feel comfortable eating good crab with a bad smell, then, don't if it worries you. I would rather you enjoy them!